title: Viral ocular manifestations: a broad overview.
abstract: The viruses able to affect the eye are taxonomically diverse, ranging from double-stranded DNA viruses, to single stranded RNA viruses, to retroviruses. Any part of the eye may be affected, frequently producing blepharitis, conjunctivitis, keratitis, uveitis, cataract and retinitis. The more common ocular viral infections include the Herpesviruses such as HSV-1, VZV and CMV. The HIV pandemic is placing a serious burden on ophthalmology clinics, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa as the number of viral ocular diseases is increasing. In particular, CMV retinitis is becoming more prevalent where antiretroviral therapy is not available and is replaced by immune-recovery uveitis where antiretrovirals are given. This review aims to improve knowledge of the common viral ocular diseases, their diagnosis and management, as well as the fairly uncommon viral ocular diseases that may also cause considerable morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Virology, Tygerberg Academic Hospital, NHLS and Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. howard.newman@nhls.ac.za
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gooding
mesh_terms: D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology*